Connected Papers

Editorial Review

Connected Papers takes a refreshingly different approach to literature discovery. Instead of keyword search, you start with a paper you know and it builds a visual graph of related work based on co-citation patterns and bibliographic coupling. The result is an intuitive map that often surfaces relevant papers you'd never find through traditional searches — particularly useful when entering a new research area. The free tier allows a limited number of graphs per month, which is enough for occasional use. The paid Academic plan is very affordable and removes most limitations. The tool intentionally stays focused on discovery and visualization rather than trying to be a full research platform, which keeps it simple and effective. For business buyers, Connected Papers is best understood as a complement to traditional search tools rather than a replacement. It excels at the exploration and discovery phase of research but doesn't help with synthesis, citation management, or deep analysis. Its low cost and ease of use make it an easy addition to any researcher's toolkit, though teams with heavy research needs will want to pair it with more comprehensive platforms.